Sandra Hyder Compton died Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the home she shared the past few months with her partner, Tad Fyock, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Born October 22, 1948, the first of the three children of G. Paul and Nancye W. Hyder, Sandy is survived by her son, Christopher S. Compton, and his wife, Christy Johnson Compton, of Lynchburg, Virginia; and by her sister, Gail Hyder Wiley, and her husband, Ronald D. Wiley, Jr., of Charlottesville, Virginia; as well as by nephews Andrew D. Wiley and Paul M. Wiley, along with Paul’s wife, Natalie R. Wengroff, and their son, Sandy’s great-nephew, Hudson D. Wiley. In addition, she leaves behind a wide network of friends and her “Hub family.” 

Sandy converted to Catholicism as an adult in Richmond, Virginia, and participated in mass as an altar server in every parish in which she was a member over the years. A funeral mass will be held Thursday, April 30, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in New Smyrna Beach. 

Always moved by art and by travel, Sandy found her Florida home among the artists and volunteers at The Hub on Canal in New Smyrna Beach, both as staff and as a volunteer. It was through The Hub that she met Tad and they each found love again. Their Hub family will be hosting a reception to honor Sandy Thursday, April 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m. All are welcome. 

Her Hub family and friends have been Sandy’s local support as she tackled her journey with pancreatic cancer, beginning treatment in early 2022. During her remission, in typical Sandy fashion, she decided to give back to the cancer survivor community by becoming a volunteer at the Florida Cancer Specialists facility in Daytona, which became yet another “family.” When her cancer returned, one of her main concerns was what effect it would have on her new staff friends and survivors. 

Travel and travel planning have been central to Sandy’s life for the past couple of decades, with trips to Ecuador, Norway, Belgium, Amsterdam, Italy, and along European rivers. Usually among the smallest and oldest of her travel groups, nonetheless Sandy entered into whatever adventure looked the most interesting. On the beer tour of Belgium, she was nominated by her group to try to sweet-talk the monks at a brewing abbey to let them in, because she looked the most innocent. Alas … 

Her career started in Lynchburg and Richmond, Virginia, after high school and took a number of twists and turns. Sweet-looking little Sandy found herself in mostly male-dominated professions: drafting, road safety, steel galvanizing, kitchen design, disability accommodations, and finally security. No one could quite rock a hard hat like Sandy!

The family hopes Sandy’s friends will be able to join us at the service at Our Lady Star of the Sea or the gathering at The Hub on April 30. Either flowers or donations in Sandy’s honor to The Hub would be fitting memorials.